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oregon flat top kiln

updated fri 25 feb 00

 

Shirley Samuelson on tue 15 feb 00

Hello Nils Lou or anyone who has built a small MFT or OFT. I have been
uncertain just what the true MFT is, but am beginning to think the one that
Nil's plans are for is a large car kiln? I want to build a flat top just
about the size of the OFT pictured in _Art of Firing_, maybe a row or two
of brick higher. But, I do not plan to salt fire as the OFT is designed for
and wonder if I am way out in thinking I might be able to use the same
single-wall kiln to glaze fire, reduction--somewhere between ^6
(acceptable) and ^10 (better if possible). Can I do either with the OFT as
designed? Would I get what I want better by building the same small kiln
with a double wall? Also, would I get better fuel economy with the double
wall? Would it change anything in either case if I used a fibre lid in
place of the brick lid? And (questions, questions), if I send for Nils
Lou's MFT plans, are the OFT plans included any different or more detailed
than the plans in _Art..._? That's a lot of questions--sorry. But any and
all input will really be appreciated. I am planning to build my kiln in
Hawaii where I have yet to see a downdraft and IFB's run close to $5 per.
So I am naive and going carefully.
Aloha,
Shirley Samuelson

Steve McNutt on sat 19 feb 00

Another question about the OFT. I thought I understood from The Art of
Firing that if we want to build a kiln for salt, we need to not use the car
but build a standard floor and door. Clearly this was a mistake on my part?

Mary Beth Bishop
Durham, NC

Nils Lou on sun 20 feb 00

You can use a car
Just don't dump salt in.
Spray it in as saturated solution
use a garden sprayer
use lots of small ports
get superior dispersion
of course, coat interior with ITC100
--and all furniture
works
Nils

On Sat, 19 Feb 2000, Steve McNutt wrote:

> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Another question about the OFT. I thought I understood from The Art of
> Firing that if we want to build a kiln for salt, we need to not use the car
> but build a standard floor and door. Clearly this was a mistake on my part?
>
> Mary Beth Bishop
> Durham, NC
>

Don Hoskisson on mon 21 feb 00

Nils, did I miss something? It sounds like there
is a mix-up between the MFT (car kiln) and the
OFT we built (not a car kiln).


>From: Nils Lou, nlou@linfield.edu
>Reply-To: Ceramic Arts Discussion List, CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
>To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
>
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>You can use a car
>Just don't dump salt in.
>Spray it in as saturated solution
>use a garden sprayer
>use lots of small ports
>get superior dispersion
>of course, coat interior with ITC100
>--and all furniture
>works
>Nils
>
>On Sat, 19 Feb 2000, Steve McNutt wrote:

I cut the rest.

Don


=========================
Don Hoskisson
Art Department
Western Oregon University
hoskisd@fsa.wou.edu
=========================

Nils Lou on tue 22 feb 00

No, you didn't miss anything. I just assumed she wanted to design the OFT
with a car, with the main question centering on whether a car kiln can be
a salt kiln. On the other hand, she might have meant MFT??
Who knows what people think or mean. Just pay attention and give Cindy a
hug. Nils

On Mon, 21 Feb 2000, Don Hoskisson wrote:

> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Nils, did I miss something? It sounds like there
> is a mix-up between the MFT (car kiln) and the
> OFT we built (not a car kiln).
>
>
> >From: Nils Lou, nlou@linfield.edu
> >Reply-To: Ceramic Arts Discussion List, CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
> >To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
> >
> >----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> >You can use a car
> >Just don't dump salt in.
> >Spray it in as saturated solution
> >use a garden sprayer
> >use lots of small ports
> >get superior dispersion
> >of course, coat interior with ITC100
> >--and all furniture
> >works
> >Nils
> >
> >On Sat, 19 Feb 2000, Steve McNutt wrote:
>
> I cut the rest.
>
> Don
>
>
> =========================
> Don Hoskisson
> Art Department
> Western Oregon University
> hoskisd@fsa.wou.edu
> =========================
>

Steve McNutt on thu 24 feb 00

So I have confused the experts. Actually I thought the OFT was a car kiln
but have had that cleared up. Along the way, I learned that it is
conceivable to have a car/salt or soda kiln by using ITC 100. Thank you Nils
Lou for that. I have actually made a note from your message here in my copy
of THE BOOK. So for now things are pretty much worked out for me, but don't
relax. If I could get this confused in the abstract just imagine the
questions when I get down to actually building the thing.

Many, many thanks to both of you,

Mary Beth Bishop
Durham, NC